Oink Oink lol xxx

Just when you thought it had all gone quiet ........ el piggy returns lol xxx

Lots to tell and more of that in a sec, but first, it's time for another Papertake Weekly. This week our challenge is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

That's 1 circle, 2 ribbons and 3 stamps or images.

Fabulous challenge I think.

So here's me card. And in reverse order ....

The 3 images are all from the new Magnolia Spring stuff and I cannot say how lovely this lot is. I coloured them with the old PMs and added a touch of sparkle.

My 2 gorgeous ribbons are both Poppicrafts finest.

And my 1 circle? It's the button which is a 'bottom of the stash box' goody.

The paper is a Nancy Kubo which I got from Prima

oooh it's a bit smudgy. I made a bit of a hash of the colouring cos I had a really sore trotter (tendon trouble). Never mind, will try harder next time!!!

Well it's been a week since I posted and it has been a bit on the mad side again here. Just when things get straight something else crops up and sends it off kilter.

But also I went to Harrogate at the weekend and had the most fab time. Now you are not going to believe this but I went to the craft show and didn't buy a thing ....yes it is true.

But best of all, I got to meet with some of my bestest blog buds and here we all are ...

Back row is Nicola (Marcea's Mummy), Pink Piggy looking like a right old dour faced boot, Marcea and Kath. Front row is Kirsten and Emma

I also got to meet the very lovely and awesomely talented Bev but didn't manage to get a pic sadly.

Ladies it was an absolute pleasure meeting up with you. Marcea I have to say is just the sweetest nicest person ever and it turns out that Nicola, (her mum, who lives in Spain), had spent a few days last week staying with her other daughter (Marceas' sister, natch) who lives in Chester!! Not only that, she lives about 10 minutes from our house!!! Small world or what.

And Kath!!

Well it was a dream come true for me to meet her cos we really are cyber twins. I never really imagined we would ever meet cos of the distance, but we did and it just made my weekend. We went out for din dins on Saturday night to this nice Italiano restaurant we found and had a great evening eating drinking and chatting - you can imagine!!! And she brought me some lovely goodies as well, and something nice for Kyla which I will show you when we have made it. Kath my dear friend, thank you for my goodies and also for a wonderful evening. I will remember it always and I just know that we will get to meet up again.

I've just got to say a huge thank you to Sassy and Helen for these awards. The thanks are over due girls, sorry (slappity slap), but I love them and it is so nice of you to give them to me {{{{{hugs}}}}

And finally .....

See this box of eyelets?

Well, how long do you reckon it would take you to pick them all up if you dropped it on the floor and they spilled out everywhere?

10, 15, or even 30 minutes?

Well I can tell you, it took me almost a ruddy hour!!!!

So a tip girls ..... never ever try to pick up one of these crappy locking boxes filled with teeny tiny things when you are wearing a wrist brace. So now you know why I am late posting this tonight.

What a waste of valuable crafting time!!!

I'm off for me hot choc now.

See ya very soon and hugs to all cos I've missed ya xxxxxxx

Love Is In The Air For Papertake Weekly xx

I just fell in love with this sweetie xxx

So I thought I'd use her for this week's Papertake Weekly which is one of me sketches :)

She is from a set called Hey Cupid, as is the sentiment, from CC Designs which are availabe over at Dies To Die For and you can see the rest of the set here.

The stripey paper is PP and the heart paper is a scrap I found in my 12 x 12 box which I am so trying to start using - I thought it went nicely with the image. Sod's law that the piece left had no name on so I don't know makes it, sorry chicks xxxx It was just plain hearts but I went over each heart with a glue pen and added a bit of Glamour Dust

You can see the glittery hearts a bit better here.
The silver card candy is from Craftwork Cards.

Ooops, I forgot to say that I coloured her in with PMs.
You won't be surprised that a) I forgot, or b) that I'd used PMs :)))x

Well I hope you all had a lovely day yesterday. Ours was quiet as 2 of the tribe were missing, one of which happens to be the noisiest one of the tribe!!!
Our meal out was really nice, however we could hardly hear ourselves think as there was a group of 8 people in the restaurant, one of which was a lady with the loudest cackley laugh I've ever heard. Honest to God, it literally ricocheted off the walls.

Now I'm not a snob, nor am I the party pooper, but ......... I could have throttled her!!


My two are back and I'm ever so glad. They got back quite late and were very tired, but they had a great time and Emma said she would definately go back again. The highlight for her was going quad biking in the desert. They went out at 4pm and came back following the sunset. She said it was really spectaculor to see. They stopped at a 'genuine' Bedouin tent which had a bit of a gap in it, through which they could see a brand new shiny car lol xxx Perhaps the camels were having a day off !!


Miss Kyla has had me in stitches today by doing her impression of a belly dancer!! She even raided her dressing up box at one point for greater effect (!!!) and tried to put some music on from one of her toys to dance to. Sadly the batteries had gone, so we all ended up 'singing' Hava Nagila while she danced - well it was the only exotic thing I could think of lol xxx


Talking of exotic, my hot choc awaits - Options natch, but I do not know where the diet has gone to, thanks to Mr Marks and Mr Spencer plus our Mother's day meal. So I am off to waddle in a weeble-like fashion up the stairs to bed cos I am soo tired. I don't do late nights like I used to (old trout-itus no doubt!!) and I even fell asleep tonight during the second Corrie, which is why I am a bit later posting this!!!


Hopefully see you tomorrow, and have a fab night xxxxxxx

Meeses and Mothers Day xxxx

Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely Mums

(including my own wonderful Mum, even though she is no longer physically here but is always in my heart xxxx).

Have a great day and I hope you are all getting spoiled rotten xxxx

This isn't a Mother's Day card though, it's my card for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge which this week is to include some doodling on your card.

Well, say no more girls cos I just loves me doodling lol xxx I also combined it with the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers, so it's a 2 in 1 :)) x

The papers are PP and Willow and the sentiment is Penny Black - part of the set I bought from the NEC. I gave my MS doily punch a day off for good behaviour and used the zig zag embossing one for a change. The yummy ribbon is from a past Raspberry Ribbons kit, the flowers are Poppicrafts and I got the the centre blingy bit from a wholesale warehouse near here.

This is actually 2 blooms which I cut into, stuck together and then faffed about with. I got the idea from my friend Donalda - she has made a beautiful paper flower which I just loved so I thought I'd use the same technique. You can see the original tutorial here at Ann's blog. She has some gorgeous ideas so check it out xxx

This is actually 2 seperate sentiments but I stamped them together and then added a bit of bling from my bling stash :))

Hope you likee xx

There's not much waffle again today cos Richard and I are working on a project in our garden and we want to do a bit more before we go out for dinner (well it's tea really cos the table is booked for 5.30pm as it was the only time we could get in!!).

I have to just say that I felt really sad this morning to hear about poor Jade Goody, bless her heart. What a brave and courageous young woman she was and also a fantastic mother, considering the awful start she had in life. Her outlook on life was fabulous and her love for her kids just shone out of her. It was so moving and poignant that she died today of all days and my heart goes out to those 2 little boys.

I cannot wait for my little treasure to get home tonight - early hours of the morning but I will be up and waiting for them xxxx I just want to kiss that sweet little face and give her the biggest hug ever cos I haven't half missed her. Soppy old Grandma lol xxxx

Huggiest of hugs xxxxx

Is It Me ......

Or is Mr Blogger up to his tricks again?

I can't leave comments on certain blogs and then on other blogs I can leave a comment but sometimes it won't let me use the 'go back' arrow so I have to close down and log in again.

And then I go to a post that has appeared in my side bar thingie but when I get there it says it doesn't seem to exist.

Am I the only one having probs or it it global lovely peeps? Is he just singling me out do ya think, cos if he is, then that is just pink pigist!!!

It is sooo flippin annoying and if Mr Blogger walked in here right now I would give him what for lol xxxx

Say Hello To Petunia xxx

Here she is.

She's the sweetest kitty in her pink and blue frock, and she is part of the new Willow Download which you can see here. You get a set of pre-coloured and uncoloured images, plus some gorgeous kitty papers. Check it out peeps xxx

And she was the download we got to play with for this week's Willow Sketchie challenge which is based on this fabulous sketch by Sally Ann. I love it xxx

Of course there is a twist, cos that's what we do, and the twist this week is to do a bit of embossing on your card. The girls' cards are truly gorgeous this week - I've never seen such an array of pretty colours.

This is my card ...

I used a pre-coloured image - lazy trout lol xxx - and just kept the same colours so it couldn't have been easier. The card blank is one from Craftwork Cards and the spotty dotty pink paper is Willow - I 'heart' this paper so much.

I embossed round the image, which you can't see very well on these pics, but trust me lovelies, I did. The MSBP border is not one of mine, it was sent to me by my wonderful, soon to be non virtual friend Kath, and she punched a row of ribbon slots for me. I don't know which punch she used but I think it might have been a Fiskars punch, but I'm sure she will fill us in. Thank you dear friend - not long to go now xxx

I wasn't completely lazy cos I punched and embossed the blue flowers using my Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots folder. I got the idea from the lovely and very talented Mich at Poppicrafts - check out their competition here and also get some fab ideas on different ways to use flowers while you're there.

The ribbon is one I bought years ago and I don't know where I got it but I got a mahoosive roll and I've used it loads and still there is some left!! The sentiment is one I got as a freebie from a card mag. I get loads of mags and keep the freebies but hardly use them, but I thought this one went well.

Lots of dimension cos I don't like 'flat' and lots of doodling cos I can't leave well alone lol xxx

That beautiful bloom was given to me as a RAK - I'm fairly sure it is Poppicrafts, as is that lovely big grosgrain covered brad.

You can hopefully see the embossed flowers better here.

So I hope this has inspired you to have a go at this sketch girlies cos it is mighty fine me thinksxxx

I could very well be back later but I'm on a runner now. I'm off to Marks & Sparks cos this week there is a really fab offer on - feed 4 for Mother's day (a dinner, a side order, a pud and and a bottle of vino for £15 - it would be so rude not to!!) We are out for our lunch but I am so gonna squeeze a load of this in the freezer.
It is going to be a bit strange cos Emma and Kyla the kid don't get back until very late on Sunday night so this is the first Mother's Day ever that I won't spend with Em since she was born.

See ya later if I dont bankrupt us lol xxxxx

Little Gems, Watercolours And A Sneakie Peekie xxx

This is a first outing for my new Aqua Pro Markers.

What do ya think?

They are growing on me, but whether or not they will replace the bad boys re my affections remains to be seen. Only time will tell.

I thought I'd use this card for this week's Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is Little Gems. I only used 2 but they are little and they are gems so I guess it is fine lol xx

I love this little hunny bunny.

He is a Wild Rose Studios boy and he is ohhh so cute.

I wanted to do something oval-ey to follow the shape of the little eggs he is juggling so I thought I'd do a sort of Faberge egg - it has the gems after all lol xx I used a single nestie oval as the base, so it does not open, and made a stand for it.

This is the back view of the stand - it's easy peasy to make and it's just a bit different.



That delish ribbon is from Raspberry Ribbons - I so love gingham ribbon. You probably noticed :))xx


And now for a sneakie peakie ......

It's come round fast this time cos tomorrow is Willow Sketchie time.
I can tell you that this week the sketch has been done by our fabulous 'Love To Doodle' girl Sally Ann and it is an absolutely gorgeous sketch - I loved it.

......................

I thought I'd share a recipe with you lovely peeps tonight - make a change from the mad woman ramblings you poor souls have to put up with. I love cooking - it's probably the creative thingie, so maybe you are the same.

This recipe is for pasta with the deliciousness that is haloumi cheese - I love it. Now it isn't diet friendly but who ruddy well cares!! It's yummy and it's quick and easy. I am not good on quantities but the veg and cheese mix is enough for 2 hungry people on it’s own or 3-4 if you are having bread etc with it.


INGREDIENTS -

Pasta –which ever type you like. The original recipe uses tri-colour fusilli as it is supposed to be a red green and white sort of theme (Italian flag, no doubt) but I have made it with lots of different sorts and it is still fab!!!

Olive oil
Bunch of spring onions
1 red pepper
1 pack of haloumi cheese
Green pesto
Parmesan cheese
Handful of basil – roughly chopped


HOW TO COOK (THE ‘DAWNY’ WAY) !!

Firstly, pour a large glass of red wine (you may substitute with white if preferred). Drink about half and then begin to cook. Continue to have a good old slurp whilst cooking, as it is very thirsty work. Return to the bottle and top up the glass as required. This is very important and missing out this vital step is not recommended.

Cook the pasta as per instructions on pack. Meanwhile cut the pepper into strips and chop the spring onions roughly, keeping the white and green bits separate. Cut the haloumi into bite size pieces. I usually nick a few to much on at this point.

Open another bottle of wine

Heat some olive oil in a large pan and add the strips of peppers and the white bits of spring onions. Fry gently for about 4 minutes until beginning to colour slightly. Add about 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and continue to cook until the all the water has gone and veg is cooked. Add the chopped haloumi and the green bits of spring onions and cook for about 2 more minutes until the cheese is warm.

Drain the cooked pasta, add to the vegetables and cheese and mix together. Add the pesto – however much you like- mixing thoroughly until everything is coated and heated through. Season and serve with the basil and Parmesan on top and something nice and red (or white) to wash it down with!!!!

Do let me know if you ever try it, and have the fabbiest of evenings. I'm off for another watercolouring sesh :)))x

Hugs xxxx

Papertake Weekly Goes Fruity xxx

Ohh I just love these colours xxx

This week, our challenge over at Papertake Weekly is Feelin Fruity with Funky Fairy!! So all you have to do is to create a card with something edible on and you could win yourself the new Funky Fairy Feelin Fruity Shabby Style download - and very verrry gorgeous it is too xxxx

Nip over and see what the sweet PTW girlies have done with the download.

This is what I did with it.

This card was so easy peasy to do and as soon as I saw that paper, I knew that I just had to use it.

The ribbon is Poppicrafts and the little black pearls were from Creative Pastimes In Ellesmere Port. I got the Glamour Dust out again just to give the strawberry a bit of sparkle - it looks like it has been dipped in sugar (ohh drool drool). It reminds me of a nice warm sunny day at Wimbledon, which sadly we are not going to this year.

Also sadly, we probably won't be having any nice warm sunny days either, but what can ya do short of emigrating lol!!!

I did a bit of doodling cos I just love doing it!!!

Now this is just a short post tonight (you may be verry glad to hear after the lengthy ramblings of late!!) because I have some new bad boys which I got today and I am just dying to see what they are made of lol xxx These babies are Pro Markers, oh yes, but they are the Aqua markers so I can watercolour with them.

The question is, will I prefer them to the usual bad boys??? Well I'll have a fiddle-de-dee and let you know.

Have a fabbytastic evening xxxxx

Me New Stamp xxx

I got these pair of cuties from Butterfly Kisses when I was at the NEC last week. And I coloured it with those bad boy Pro Markets but there is not a smidgen of glitter to be seen.

This is obviously a bit of a rarity!!

So this is my card for this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge which this week is a gorgeous sketch by the very wonderful Tracie - and it's pink which is an added bonus :)) x

Not only is there no glitter, but there is no design paper either!
I must be ill lol xxxx

I used my Scor Pal to emboss a few background lines - this time on the diagonal. And my beloved punch is feeling a bit better so I gave it a gentle workout here - just to get it back in the swing of things!!!

The flowers are all punched using my E K Sucess and X Cut punches. I drew some lines with the Pro Marker pens, added some dots using a white gel pens and a black fine liner and then punched them out from that. And the plain coloured ones are done in the same way, except I just scribbled a bit on some white card and punched them out from that.


I bought those big brads from the girl who I helped with the craft sale a few months back. I'm guessing they came from QVC but I wouldn't swear to this.


The 2 narrow strips of card that look a bit like ribbon were made using the PMs again, just so it all matched. You can see the embossed lines a bit better here as well.


So I am in time with this challenge - well I'm fairly early really. Which is more than I can say for the chick card and the little bag for the Colour Create challenge ie the bag and the card.


Yes, the dope has struck again, cos I WAS in time on Friday with the card, but I forgot to do the linkie thing. Then this morning, when I had got the mini eggs and pics sorted, I remembered to go and link but when I got there, it had finished!!!


Never mind, my intentions were good!!


I'm just posting this between Dancing On Ice - I am hoping that Colleen goes out, as much for her own sake as ours, cos she looked to be in agony and I was wincing with her. She is lovely and I really like her, but she isn't in the same league as the others. But I had tears in my eyes when they showed her hubby crying cos it was their wedding song - ahhh how sweet.


And I thought Jessica and Daz avoiding skanky y-front boy Pav were wonderful tonight - she could give Ray a run for his money. It might end up like last year when we all thought Chris Fountain would win and Suzanne pipped him to the post!! You never know, stranger things have happened.


Like, for example, I might read the instructions properly over at the challenges and even better, the date they end by.


I'm off to watch part 2 and I'll be back manana for another Papertake Weekly.


Huggsies xxxx

The Eggs Are Back lol xxx

Here they are :))) xxx

I bought 2 packets but one of my piglets as En calls them - and rightly so in this case - ate them.

Although pot, kettle and chip off the old block spring to mind!!!!

So before they all went again, I put them in a bag, double sealed it down in case of any more piggery pokery goings on in this house, and took the pics.

This is my original entry for the Colour Create Challenge - see the post here for what happened first time round, I am too ashamed to admit to it again lol xxx

I just realised that being the dope I am, I don't think I actually went over to the challenge blog and linked up on Friday!! Ohhh what a plonker.

This template was a free download from here - thanks Mel xxx The paper was also a freebie download but I've had it for ages and now cannot remember where I got it from, sorry. I think it may have been from one of the mags but I wouldn't swear to it, but I've used it before quite a few times and I really like it cos it is so striking. I used one of MSBP's and the flowers were all from the very wonderful Poppicrafts. The buttons were from the depths of my button box

These little punched flowers were done using a couple of X Cut punches which I got from the Paper Mill Shop and the lace on the handle is Innovations self adhesive lace which I THINK I got from Hobbycraft

See that orange string?

Well I have to thank Kath for giving me a tip to unravel thicker string so it will go through buttons. I am so dim that this was practically a 'Eureka' moment for me. Shame isnt it!!

And Kim Fee, lovely gorgeous girlie that she is, gave me a tip ages ago about using Pro Markers to colour thread, so I thought I would do that here. Thanks for these fab tips girls xxx

I have to say that by the time I'd finished with the PMs, my fingers were a delightful shade of orange, but it came off, thankfully. But for a while I did look like I had been on 60 a day of the Capstan full strengths :((

Another bit more detail for ya xxx

Well we went to Southport yesterday and had a fab day, just the two of us. We dropped the books off with Jo, had a mooch round the shops, had a nice meal in this little wine bar we found and then mosied back home. It was a bit late to start blogging last night and I knew I was going to be up super early today so I didn't want to burn the midnight oil.

I was up at just after 5am cos Emma and Kyla went off to Sharm-el-Sheik today for a week. So no toys under my feet for 7 days, no little voice waking me up at stupid o'clock asking me if it is time to go downstairs yet, no babysitting, it's just the 2 of us for a whole week. Do ya think I'll enjoy it??? Not a chance. Once the novely of having a tidy and orderly house once more has worn off, say about a day, I will miss them like anything, especially that dear little face first thing in the morning, which is when we have our chats. Come to think of it, they have only been gone 7 hours and I am missing them already :((((

Best keep busy crafting to take my mind off it. And I will be able to catch up with the blog hopping which has been truly awful this last few week - sorry lovelies. So I may see ya later but if not, have a fab Sunday xxxxx

Sunglasses On Girls xxx

It's a bit bright but ever so cheery!!!

I would say 'a bit like me' but you all know that sometimes I'm not very bright, even if I'm usually cheery lol xxx

The challenge this week over at Colour Create is to use orange, yellow and green, with the added twist that you can come up with something other than a card. I did make something other than a card and I'll tell you about that in a sec.

But first, the card .....

Ooops, the ribbon doesn't look very tidy - soz girlies xxx

I did a bit of old fasioned paper-weaving here. We did this at card club, and even though it might seem a bit old fashioned, I found it very therapeutic to be honest with ya!! If you are feeling a bit fraught, I would urge to to have a bash, cos you de-stress almost immediately lol xx

Who needs Prozac when you can paper weave!!!

Plus it sort of looks a bit basket-ey I thought.

The image is an Elzybells cute chick and the papers are Mad About Cards and PP. I did me usual Pro Markering with added Glamour Dust highlights.

I also did a bit of 3d-ing with bits of the image. This is becoming a habit :(

I found this little bloom in the bottom of my flower box and I am sure it was given to me by one of my lovely blog buds, so I can't tell you where it came from sorry. I stuck a little pearl on just to finish it off. Not sure where I got the buttons from either cos I've had them for years.

So, I have to tell you that I did do a basket for this challenge and I filled it with Mini Eggs. And now there is only the basket and no chocs - cannot think why that is. Maybe the choc thief has struck again!!

Don't look at me lol xxxx

Ok, look at me, I confess it was me in a moment of willpower-less madness!!!

So I could not for shame's sake show you an empty basket - it looks a bit sad - but tomorrow if I get back from me jaunt to Southport in time, I'll go and replace the mini eggs and show you then. I'm off to Southport to say hi to the fabulous Jo Austin and take her some books for our wonderful peeps serving in Afghanistan.

On the subject of those fabulous boys and girls serving out there, have you checked out the competition over at Tracey's Dies 2 Die For blog yet cos it is for a very worthwhile cause. The prize that is up for grabs is just awesome - it is one of my fave products in the whole word (mahoosive clue there!!). And you don't have to do much to be in with a chance of winning it either. You know all these cards we do for our challenges? Well I bet we've all got a pile of them lying about somewhere. So if you want to find a good home for one or two of them (or maybe more if you want, bless ya xxx) and be in with a chance of winning something fab, then nip over here and have a butchers chickadees :)

I went to the NEC yesterday and apart from buying some new stash, I met up and had lunch with my lovely friend Enfys. We had a great chat and I'm so glad I go to meet her in the flesh. We are now no longer 'virtual' friends but real live ones. En was telling me that in the US, they really appeciate their servicemen and women and if the good people of America are out and about and they see a servicemand or woman, they always thank them for serving. I was touched by this - what a lovely thing to do.

While I was at the NEC, I also met up with Marlene and Caz. I've met Marlene before but not Caz and she is just the sweetest. It was nice chatting to you both lovely girlies, and hope to see you again soon if I get down to Ally Pally xxxx
I also went and said hi to Chris from Oyster Crafts. Nice to meet you chick - I know you drop by the pig sty and I do appreciate it xxx

And very soon, I am going to meet up with my 'cyber twin' the one and only Kath and also Marcea as well and I just cannot wait. Harrogate, here I come lol xxx

On that note, I'm off to me bed cos there was daylight when I started this lol xxxx Me and the mini eggs will see ya tomorrow.

Huggiest of hugs and here's to a great weekend xxxxx

What A Palaver xxx

Yes, this cutie has given me a headache!!

I started this card on Sunday and I have faffed about and mithered with it until I am fed up of looking at it. Still I am not happy with it, but I thought I'd share it all the same.

It started out with good intentions and I decided to combine the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is masking with the Sketch Saturday Challenge which is .... a sketch!, and a gorgeous one at that - thank you Ria xxx

So I used PP and K & Co paper. I have the most ginormous stack of K & Co paper and just can't bring myself to use it, and this has to stop quite frankly cos it is sitting there like Piffy just gathering dust!!

I coloured it with my usual partners in crime and sparkled it up a tad, as is my wont.

I punched some flowers and added little pearls and used an odd bit of lace I found

I doodled.

And it has taken me 2 days to move this and shift that and generally muck about with it and nothing I did felt quite right.

When I first laid it all out I liked it, but I wouldn't leave well alone would I!!


So consequently, by 6pm tonight, I was sorely tempted to shove that log somewhere the sun don't shine, followed swiftly by the Easter egg!!!!

Poor poor Tilda - it is not her fault xxx

Anyway, I did try, but I'm not totally fussed with the result to be honest.
But not to worry. Tis only card at the end of the day (oooh, sacre bleu and wash my mouth out!!!). Do ya think we can get a bit hung up on everything being totally perfect all the time?

So I'll try again tomorrow.

So on that note, I'm off up the wooden hills. I'm having a bit of a change tonight. No Options hot choc for me, cos I had a cherry scone before (comfort eating re that ruddy card no doubtt!!) and it's left me feeling a bit rebellious. So I am going to go mad, throw caution to the wind and have Horlicks instead - I really do know how to live (but obviously not how to diet).

See ya tomorrow with another cardy offering - hopefully one I like this time.

Tara for now xxxxxx

Papertake Weekly Goes Buggy lol xxx

I lubs these lil Alota bugs xxx

So I thought I'd use them for this week's Papertake Weekly Challenge which is one of me sketches. I kept it simple this week - a bit like my good self lol xxx

Once again, the DT girls have worked their magic and their card are just awesome. Thank you girls cos always come up trumps xxxx

So I thought I'd use this cute image, which I coloured with Pro Markers (now there's a surprise lol xxx). And again I have decoupaged part of the image - not sure why I keep doing that lately, but I do!!!

The paper is PP, and the ribbon is Poppicrafts.

Gorgeous and spotty - I just love it xx

The sentiment is Woodware - ohh it's a bit scary stamping directly onto an almost finished card!!!!

I used my ScorePal and embossed 'lines' onto some plain grey card. I didn't want it to be too plain so this was just enough I thought. I might do this again, and knowing me with me 'groundhog day' syndrome, I probably will lol xxx

Before I forget, if you get a sec, check out what the very wonderful Jake is going to be doing for comic relief - you can read all about it here. What a little star he is. Well done and good luck Jake, you are a very brave boy. I bet you will still look gorgeous with your new hair cut :)))xx

Well, would you Adam and Eve it - Zoe has gone from Dancing On Ice!!! I had this feeling that it would be her and Jessica in the skate off this week. And I don't know if it is my imagination, but is Donal getting thinner by the week??? If so, I am getting myself a pair of ice skates and heading for the nearest ice rink, which as it happens, it about 10 minutes from our house!!!

Talking of which .......

You may have noticed that I have been very quiet on the diet front of late. Well that is because we have been BAD - seriously bad. Like roast potatties yesterday cooked in dripping - yes it is very unhealthy and no doubt my arteries are clogging as we speak, but they taste soooo nice.

But if that wasn't enough, today I had chips which to be fair, I haven't had for ages. But I bought some McCains frozen gorgeous chunky chips yesterday - that's what they are called - cos they looked nice in the packet. They did not disappoint - they are the best chips ever and I had them with Maldon sea salt (it's the only salt I will use) and pickled onion vinegar!!! If you only have them once peeps, you have to try them!!!

And that's just the last 2 days - shameful, I know !!!

So you won't be surprised to hear that I have gained 2lbs. Actually you probably will be surprised that it is only 2lbs I gained!!!. This fatty food fest (marvellous alliteration) I seem to be on is not good, and I was saying to Rich earlier that I am missing fruit and healthy stuff and don't feel good for the crappo diet. So in the immortal words of Jimmy Sommerville, enough is enough!!!

Well that's me done. My Options hot chocco is all but ready and I'm a few pages away from finishing my book. With any luck, I will be back tomorra but every time I say that, someone or something somewhere conspires against me and I end up not blogging!!!

But all being well ........

Huggiest hugs xxxxxx

A Fair Few Challenges & Fab News To Share xxx

The wanderer returns lol xxx That's me, not this lil cutie btw !!

And I do have some fab news, but more of that in a sec, although I know some of you have already twigged and some of you knew already.

I thought I would use my new stamps to do some challenges. Both stamps are from the very wonderful Wild Rose Studio. And of course, I had to colour them with my Pro Marker bad boys - nothing else would do!!! I also had a bit of a dabble with my Sakura Glaze pens as well - just to give a bit of depth to some of the colour.

So this is my card for 2 challenges, Mojo Monday, which is based on a sketch, and a gorgeous one it is as well. And I also did the Colour Create challenge which this week is blue and brown. Well with such delish colours, how could I not!!

The papers are both Tinker & Co and the ribbon is Poppicrafts scrummy grosgrain loveliness, and I used the last bit here - cry cry!!!. I found the button in the bottom of my button box so I have not the first clue where it came from, but I'm glad I found it cos it was the just the job I thought :))x


There is an added extra for Colour Create ie you can add lace and pearls. Well girls, I managed the pearls and I did originally put some lace on it, but at the last minute I took it off cos I thought it looked a bit pants actually!!!

And I thought I'd also have a basho at this weeks Sketch & Stash, which is a sketch, and you use your newest stash on your card. So I thought that this yummy hunny bunny was perfect for the sketch, and it is a brand new stamp.

ohhh nasty pic here with that green but IRL it is a lot less harsh on the old eye balls. I may re-take this in better light and re-post it tomorrow. I may even re-take it using Emma's new camera which has loads more pixels than mine and cost about 1/10th of what my beggar did!!!

That camera needs a good slap sometimes. It is getting on a bit now, but aren't we all lol xxxx. It was an all singing all dancing one when I got it in 2003 but it is a bit behind the times now, poor thing. Sadly, I know how it feels xxx

But meanwhile, back at the blog .....

The papers and sentiment are PP and the brads and ribbon are Poppicrafts. Again I used the Sakura Glaze Pens over the little eggs and I gave it a dusting of Glamour Dust. I also decoupaged the ears and feet for a bit more dimension.

Not sure if you can see it better here or not.

Well you have probably guessed what my good news is, cos I did give a pretty big clue in my Willow Sketchie post earlier, but in case you missed it, I will now reveal!!

I am soooo pleased to tell you that I am a fully fledged member of Dulcie's Wild Rose Design team. I am chuffed as chuffed can be to be chosen, and not only do I get to play with these wonderful stamps but I also get to work with some pretty amazing and awesome girls as well, including one of my fave bloglies, the brilliant Leann who I just love to bits.

So that's my news which I am truly thrilled to share.

So on that happy happy note, I am off to see what Kath's been up to cos I just saw she's posted and I am a nosey sod, and then I am off to me bed complete with pjs (we're in the cotton ones now cos it's a bit warm for wyncyette), hot choccie and me book. Ohh I tell you, if aliens ever landed in our garden, they would do an about turn so goddam fast and hot foot it straight back to Planet Zanussi or wherever they came from cos quite frankly, I don't think they could cope with the excitement lol xxx

Night lovely peeps xxxxx